About Us

LexRAP is a group of concerned people from Lexington and surrounding communities calling itself the Lexington Refugee Assistance Program or “LexRAP.” Our focus is to make Lexington a welcoming place for refugees and to help them directly.

Mission

LexRAP is a Lexington-based 501C non-profit organization helping refugees to settle in the United States and to become productive and well-adjusted members of the community.  The mission of LexRAP is to support and to assist refugees and asylum seekers to integrate into American society. This assistance includes a support network for housing, food, clothing, transportation, health care, education (especially English), employment, legal aid, and socialization. Beneficiaries of this assistance must have received (or be legally seeking) permission to live in the U.S., either temporarily or permanently.

Hand in Hand Cafe


A new pop-up café is coming to town! LexRAP (Lexington Refugee Assistance Program), together with First Parish Lexington, is starting a monthly cafe, Hand in Hand Cafe, where local refugee women will be paid to cook dinners for paying guests. The women will prepare the meal together and eat with the guests and enjoy conversation. One of the goals of these dinners is to build community and understanding. Equally important is to provide a chance for the women to learn job skills related to the food industry

Upcoming Dinners
April 13th and June 15th at:
First Parish Lexington
7 Harrington Road (Parking in the rear of the church) 6:00 p.m.
Tickets are available at HERE.

For $30 plus a small service fee
We hope to see you soon!
Please note that all meals will be Halal and alcohol free. First Parish is a nut-free church.

It takes a village to raise a Carlisle Syrian refugee family

The First Religious Society’s (FRS)Union Hall was full to capacity Saturday night as it hosted a delicious Syrian-themed dinner to benefit the Alloh family, Syrian refugees who relocated to Carlisle in 2017. This event had been well anticipated by the FRS community for weeks—with many adults and children planning, organizing and preparing.  Even the Religious Education program’s children and teen-aged youth had been active baking cookies and making hand-painted bowls to be given as gifts to guests. Many of them had already become friends with members of the Alloh family as their classmates in the Carlisle School.

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Donate

Tax-exempt  donations support LexRAP
initiatives. Online donations will be processed by PayPal.

Sustaining Monthly Donation

One time Donation

By Check

Please mail checks made out to "LexRAP" to:
​LexRAP
PO Box 244
Lexington, MA 02420
Email Don Detweiler with any questions you may have about donations.

How do refugees get to the U.S and what is LexRAP doing to help with their resettlement?

On LexMedia

Current Focus
LexRAP currently focuses on 3 areas: Hosting Asylum Seekers, Hosting Unaccompanied Minors, and Assisting Refugees who, for any number of reasons, are having difficulties navigating the challenging terrain of adapting to life in the US. 
​
While some may be able to make the bigger commitment of hosting, other volunteers are ready and willing to support their efforts. In addition, we keep a list of agencies working with refuges and asylum seekers – many of these agencies will welcome volunteer help.

Join Us
We are currently seeking volunteers to assist in any way possible, with either major or modest time commitments. All assistance is welcome. Click here to find out how you can help .

Stay informed
Join our email list to stay up to date on current LexRAP events and  needs. 

Who We Are​
Officers
Marianne Boswell, President

Don Detweiler, Treasurer
Ingrid Klimoff,   Clerk

Board
Thomas Tsaros
Laura Tandara
Pat Moyer
Omar Khudari
Elizabeth Ellen
Marianne Boswell
Don Detweiler
Ingrid Klimoff​
Tahir Chaudhry
LexRAP Bylaws